Tataki di Pecorella con Perle di BBQ, Semi di Sesamo, Salsa Teriyaki, Alga Wakame e Salsa di Soia

Tataki di Pecorella con Perle di BBQ, Semi di Sesamo, Salsa Teriyaki, Alga Wakame e Salsa di Soia is a contemporary fusion dish that marries Japanese tataki technique with Italian lamb. Tataki traditionally involves briefly searing fish or meat, then slicing it thin and marinating, a method popularized in Japan during the Edo period. This version substitutes pecorella (young ewe lamb), a staple of southern Italian pastoral cooking, for the usual tuna or beef. The dish was developed and is served at Piccerella in Camposano, Italy, by the creator Braciamiancora, who describes it as a “Braciamiancora” signature – likely a portmanteau referencing braciola (grilled meat) and an anchovy component, though the recipe here omits anchovy.

Key ingredients include lamb seared rare to maintain tenderness, a sweet-savory teriyaki glaze, nutty toasted sesame seeds, briny wakame seaweed, and soy sauce for umami depth. The most distinctive element is the “perle di BBQ” – small, gelatinous spheres of barbecue sauce made via molecular spherification, which burst on the palate, adding a smoky-sweet counterpoint. A great version requires precise timing: the lamb must be crusted on the outside while staying roseate inside; the pearls must hold their shape. The interplay between the lamb’s gaminess, the salty seaweed, and the sweet teriyaki must be balanced.

Regional variations are nascent due to the dish’s novelty, but similar lamb-tataki experiments appear in other Italian-Japanese fusion contexts (e.g., in Milan or Rome). At Piccerella, it remains a standalone showpiece, reflecting the chef’s commitment to blending Neapolitan lamb traditions with Japanese precision.